Donald Trump ramping up national team to expand battleground states

Donald Trump is moving quickly to install political operatives in more than a dozen states.

Donald Trump is moving quickly to install political operatives in more than a dozen states.

The Republican is targeting Maine and Minnesota among other states that traditionally favor Democrats as he lays the groundwork for an expanded electoral battlefield.

The staffing expansion was confirmed by campaign strategists not authorized to speak publicly about internal strategy.

The Trump campaign has identified roughly 15 states where it plans to add state directors by June 1. They include traditional battlegrounds like Ohio and Florida and more challenging terrain like Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Maine which haven’t favored a Republican presidential contender in decades.

The plan will be subsidized, at least in part, by a ”building fund” to be included in a fundraising agreement with the RNC that can accept $100,000 from individual donors.